Preschool Science - Window Nature Observers

Fall provides so many opportunities to teach preschool science--especially the seasons.

Go for a walk, and begin pointing out things that are changing--of course colors of leaves are the most noticeable.

The weather is changing too so there are many days you can't go outside so here is an option for observation skills.

Window Drawing

As the days get colder we enjoy, drawing on the windows. Use the crayola window markers.

Draw the trees with full leaves and day by day as the leaves fall erase a leaf, until the trees are bare.

I use this as a tool to teach about change, which also includes things around them and the environment.

You can also start a chart next to this and make a mark each time you erase a leaf. Then you can use your marks for numbers and counting fun.

If you like this preschool science activity, check out the other ideas in the Preschool Planner.

http://www.mypreschoolplan.com/p/ar.html

There are Two Editions now for the Preschool Planner: Basic or Platinum.


Send me any ideas you would like to share and I will post them on my Blog.

Mary


P.S. If you would like to receive my free newsletters for ideas for your preschool class, enter your name and address at the site below:

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Activities for Preschoolers - POWER TOOLS

What a treat to receive this idea for activities for preschoolers. I couldn't wait to share this with everyone. This idea hits math, science, teamwork, communication, motor skills you name it! The key is safety!

This can fill days and weeks with ideas for your preschoolers.

Find someone who is knowledgeable with power tools, cordless screw guns, sanders, hammers, screw drivers, sand paper, router, saws all types, any power tools you can come up with. Maybe a parent or friend would volunteer for this.

POWER TOOLS
I know this sounds scary but our kiddos really enjoyed it. Of course we took all the safety precautions!

We first went to a construction site for a field trip. We were able to watch as they had trusses set on a roof by a crane.(We were in a lot across from the job site) sketch pads were in hand. They drew pictures of what they saw.

They heard all the power tools, and the men scrambling around. We talked about safety and why they wore hard hats, why some of them had ropes attached to them how they communicated and worked as a team. It was great.

Some of the crew came over on their break and answered some questions for us. They showed us their tool belt and some of their tools.

The next day we had a display up of all types of power tools. The children watched a demonstration of how all of them worked. Then they were given boards with screws, or nails and were able to test out what was faster and easier, screw gun vs screwdriver, hammer the nails, (we did not have them us a nail gun but watched again how fast they were). We did let them us a belt sander vs sand paper. We had small hand saws they tried and then watched all the other saws cut. Tape measures, yard sticks, rulers. Flat edges, squares and angles.

The class kept this project going for about 4 weeks. We drew plans and made a stage to sing on. We used boxes and made houses, then painted them. They loved using the power tools on just throw away lumber the construction crew gave us. (They throw away a lot!)

We glued tile down for flooring in a refrigerator box. There are so many ideas that come from this project.

BEST OF ALL-let the kids lead the way. Some of the kids were more interested in the drawings and painting. Some were more interested in using the tools.

Work with a local contractor. Let the contractor know that this is also a great lead for them! Put an article in the local paper. It will advertise for you and the contractor! Don't forget to thank them! We baked cookies and took them to the job site for their snack.

You can modify this idea for one that suits your area. Try visiting a working farm, post office, grocery store, etc. Use this for real hands-on learning. Nothing better than this!

Do you like these activities for preschoolers? Please share this by clicking below. Leave me a comment too. Thanks so much for sharing these ideas! Keep sending them to me and I will post them for all of us.

Check out the other ideas in the Preschool Planner.

http://www.mypreschoolplan.com/p/ar.html

There are Two Editions now for the Preschool Planner: Basic or Platinum.


Send me any ideas you would like to share and I will post them here.

Mary


P.S. If you would like to receive my free newsletters for ideas for your preschool class, enter your name and address at the site below:

http://preschoolplanner.com/preschool-activities.html

Preschool Games - Preschool Post Office

Here is one of the preschool games I use at the beginning of the year to help my preschoolers remember each others names and to recognize their own name when they see it in print.

This is something I have used for years and the children never tire of it. Learn by doing and playing; your preschoolers will love it.

Preschool Post Office
Set up a post office in your preschool. Cover a box to resemble a mailbox.
Fill the postbox with envelopes containing all the childrens names.

One person plays Postman and hands out an envelope to all the children. The children then take turns opening their envelope and trying to identify the name.

This is great to work on letter recognition and beginning sounds. With or without help from everyone else, once the name is identified the child delivers that name to the correct child and then that child has a turn.

Continue until everyone has received their name.

Variation: Put one of the letters, shapes,or even numbers you have studied in the envelope. Ask who can identify what is in their envelope.


If you like these preschool games, check out the other ideas in the Preschool Planner.

http://www.mypreschoolplan.com/p/ar.html

There are Two Editions now for the Preschool Planner: Basic or Platinum.


Send me any ideas you would like to share and I will post them here.

Mary


P.S. If you would like to receive my free newsletters for ideas for your preschool class, enter your name and address at the site below:

http://preschoolplanner.com/preschool-activities.html

Preschool Listening Skills - Who's Under the Blanket

With the start of the school year, we focus on providing our preschoolers the necessary skills to learn and the expectations of how to behave in preschool. Preschool listening skills are at the top of the list for sure.

One of my readers sent this in and I couldn't wait to share it.

It works on listening skills but it can also be used to help them get acquainted with their new classmates.

Give this game a try. You'll be as hooked as I am.

Who's Under the Blanket?

This is a game that the children just can't get enough of.
It's called "Who's Under The Blanket?"

Choose one child to go hide their eyes(behind a shelf maybe).

Motion for another child to quietly hide under the blanket, then everyone chants "Who's under the blanket,who's under the blanket, come and guess, come and guess".

The child hiding their eyes tries to guess who's hiding under the blanket.
Give hints by letting the child know if it's a girl or a boy or the child under the blanket can say "Hello"; that will usually give it away pretty fast.

Then the child under the blanket gets to go hide their eyes and choose another child to go under the blanket.

You can put your own twist on the game.

You can even gear the game for your theme, for example Dinosaur theme--"Who's the Dinosaur Under The Blanket, Come And Guess".

The children have to work really hard in not blurting out the name of the child under the blanket, great for practicing the rules of a game and listening skills.

Do you like this preschool listening skills game,?

Check out the other ideas in the Preschool Planner.

http://www.mypreschoolplan.com/p/ar.html

There are Two Editions now for the Preschool Planner: Basic or Platinum.


Send me any ideas you would like to share and I will post them here.

Mary


P.S. If you would like to receive my free newsletters for ideas for your preschool class, enter your name and address at the site below:

http://preschoolplanner.com/preschool-activities.html

Teaching Preschool - How to Get Preschoolers to LISTEN

Fall is just around the corner and all of us are getting ready for our new group of children. Teaching preschool means you are their first teacher and they have no expectations or experiences of what school is all about.

I believe that the sooner you set teach your preschoolers how to pay attention is with a rhyme that they can easily learn and know the expectation when they hear it.

Even better is that they begin to complete the rhyme when you start it and give you their attention quickly.

This idea is similar to one I have used but works even quicker! One of my readers sent it in for all to try.

123 Eyes on Me

When you start teaching your class and the children are not listening just say, "123. They will look at you and wonder what you are doing.

Say to them, when I say 123, I would like you children to say, "eyes on me".
They love it when I say this to them.

They love to answer back and it helps remind them to listen.

I get more done in the classroom setting because if it does start to get out of hand, I will just say 123 - eyes on me .

Once you start doing this they will automatically stop. It works every time! Most important--don't move on until they are quiet.

The whole point is to teach them politely to listen and they will mirror it back to you.


If you like this teaching preschool idea, check out the other ideas in the Preschool Planner.

http://www.mypreschoolplan.com/p/ar.html

There are Two Editions now for the Preschool Planner: Basic or Platinum.


Send me any ideas you would like to share and I will post them on my Blog.

Mary


P.S. If you would like to receive my free newsletters for ideas for your preschool class, enter your name and address at the site below:

http://preschoolplanner.com/preschool-activities.html

Fine Motor Preschool Activities - Scissors & Cutting Skills

Teaching preschoolers how to use scissors and is an ongoing task for us preschool teachers. This is one of my favorite fine motor preschool activities which allows time, fun, practice and "mess control" all in one activity.

This can be one of your centers in your classroom and four at a time is the maximum number of children I allow at any one time. Use this as a rotational activity with other similar ones.

Swimming Pool Cutting Center

One of the skills we are always working on is fine motor cutting with sissors.

You can buy a hard shell swimming pool for around 10$. It fits four students with lots of room to spare and it fits in the corner of the room nicely.

Fill it with old magazines and let them pick their favorite pictures to cut. They love being in the pool and all the mess is contained.

Be sure to make one of the rules--no standing!

Try this to allow them time to practice this necessary skill. They can simply enjoy the process and not have to worry about accuracy.

Let me know if you have any special ways you have of teaching this skill.

I will post them here for all of us to enjoy.


If you found these fine motor preschool activities helpful, check out the other ideas in the Preschool Planner.

http://www.preschoolplanner.com/thefullstory.html

Mary
marys.plans@gmail.com


PS: If you would like to receive my free newsletter for more ideas for your preschool class, enter your name and address at the site below:

http://preschoolplanner.com/preschool-activities.html

Easy Preschool Summer Crafts - Summer Fish, Mirror Images and Sculptures

I hope your summers are going well and the kids are having fun. I have a few easy preschool summer crafts to share with you.

Thanks to all my readers who are flooding me with wonderful ideas! Preschoolers love to have hands on crafts that produce immediate results they can share with their classmates and families.

Give these a try and enjoy! Please send in your ideas to share. I will post them here on the blog.

Giant Wall Fish!
Here is a summer idea for giant fish! I cut a master copy of a giant fish from tagboard and let the kids trace it onto another piece of tag board (paint paper works too) and let them decorate it. The face was painted on and a giant eye was glued on the painted face.

We then used watered down glue to "paint" the fins and covered them with glitter. Last but not least we used colored "post-its" (we hat pre-cut one side round and left the sticky side straight) as the scales. Each child has a unique fish to call their own!! We put them on our bulletin board with other sea creature and they look awesome!

Styrofoam Sculptures
Mary, I've done this idea for a few years now and some of the things my preschooler's like the best is pieces of styrofoam. I borrow golf tees left over from summer, and go through my junk drawers to find anything they can hammer or press into the packing material. I take duct tape and secure each edge and provide plastic hammers and let them go! They love it, they love the mess and they love their sculptures, they love pulling pieces in and out and rearranging. It's messy but it's preschool!

Mirror Image Paintings
Let children paint a picture, when they are finished, we put another piece of paper over painted picture and use a rolling pin over it. It creates a "mirror image". They always think this is very neat!

If you like this idea for easy preschool summer crafts, check out the other ideas in the Preschool Planner a try.


http://www.preschoolplanner.com/thefullstory.html


Mary
marys.plans@gmail.com


PS: If you would like to receive my free newsletter for more ideas for your preschool class, enter your name and address at the site below:

http://preschoolplanner.com/preschool-activities.html